Episcopal Church_ Property without members___submitted by Zarove.

Episcopal Church wins property, loses hearts of congregants
Allie Martin – OneNewsNow – 1/10/2009 4:10:00 AM
An official with the Anglican Communion Network says a recent decision by the California Supreme Court regarding property ownership among churches that have left the Episcopal Church represents a hollow victory.

In a unanimous decision, the court ruled the church buildings and other property of three parishes that left the Episcopal Church belong to the denomination. In its ruling, justices said the parishes agreed to abide by the rules of the mother church.

But Wicks Stephens, chancellor of the Anglican Communion Network, which represents breakaway churches, said the Episcopal Church may have only won empty buildings.

“They’ve won the property; they have not won the hearts of their people. The people are not going to return to the Episcopal Church because of property,” he points out. “And if this is broadly applied…you’ll find a lot of empty churches that the Episcopal Church cannot support.”

Dozens of parishes and four dioceses have left the Episcopal Church USA since the ordination of openly homosexual V. Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire in 2003.